Tides of Time (The Legacy Book 1)

by Luna Joya

  Sam turned to Delia, realization dawning at every snubbed handshake and crossed arms defensive posture. “That’s why you don’t touch anyone.”

  Lottie stopped making fun of Delia. “That’s awesome.”

  Delia’s stone face didn’t change. The two stared at each other. Rose whimpered.

  “Which one of you needed to see Casa Oceana? Visions girl, right?” Lottie turned to Mina. “I got you access. It’s back on the market. The realtor gave me the key code. We can pop up for a look this afternoon if you want.”

  “How’d you manage that?”

  “I promised him a day on set with me.” She rolled her eyes. “Everyone wants to be in show biz in this town.”

  Ruby juggled Rose and her diaper bag. “Why don’t you guys head on up? I think little one here is ready for a quick beach visit and then home.” She turned to Ama and Delia. “You want to head back with us?” They nodded. It’d been obvious Delia couldn’t wait to leave since his sister had started asking questions.

  Ruby pivoted to Mina. “You got a ride home after your time slip?”

  “Where you headed?” Lottie asked.

  Mina sucked down the last few sips of her drink. “USC. I have class in the morning.”

  “I’ll drive you,” Cami offered.

  “Not alone you’re not,” Sam answered brusquely and ignored the stare he got from her. He could tell she wanted to argue.

  “I can do it,” Lottie insisted. “If you don’t mind questions.”

  Mina laughed. “Feed me again if I time slip, and I’ll answer all you want. Or at least what I can.”

  “Then it’s settled,” Lottie said. “I’ll take you on my way to our parents’ house. I stay there when I need an easy commute to the sets in Burbank.”

  Sam stiffened at the mention of their parents.

  Lottie kept talking. “Sam, I have bags of stuff in my car for Cami. Want them now or after Casa Oceana?”

  “After,” he said. “We will go to the house and pick them up when we get back.”

  “You should skip the coming back part. Go home and take care of Cami,” his grandpa chided.

  “Pops, I’ll only stop by.”

  “I’d put that pretty girl first,” Pops scolded. “You come back here, and you won’t.”

  Sam hated when Pops said shit like that. He’d already put her first today, right? This was the third time in as many weeks he’d taken time off because of her. Before her, he’d never taken a single full day away from the restaurant.

  “Wait. What stuff?” she asked, interrupting his thoughts.

  “Clothes. Makeup. Hair product,” Lottie replied. “You can’t be expected to live like a savage just because you dated one. Although my brother’s a caveman so I’m not sure…”

  “Lottie,” he warned his little sister. She held up her hands. He shook his head. “You two waiting here or in the office?” Mina and Lottie headed for the staircase with overflowing shopping bags. “I’ll walk your mom and sisters out.” He carried Rose while Ruby, Ama, and Delia followed. “You coming, Pops?”

  “I’ll be there in a bit. I got to say goodbye to this girl and look around the restaurant.” He closed the door as his grandpa grabbed Cami.

  Pops better not scare her off with talk of family or work. Sam planned to have her moved in by sunset. They could start plans about a life together. Just as soon as he drove them up the hill and stopped back by to check on the restaurant.

  Pops lowered his voice so only she could hear while the others shuffled to get ready to leave. “I like you, Cami girl. You stay around. Keep our boy in line. He’s got a soft spot, but he doesn’t take rejection after his folks… Well, my son isn’t the best father in the world. He married no better.” He shook his head. “Our boy needs his loved ones close—me, Lottie, and you. Keep that in mind.”

  Before she could answer, the man they’d been talking about walked in.

  “You good, Pops?” Sam asked.

  His grandfather hugged him before ducking into the kitchen. Sam steered her away from the dirty plates on the table.

  “Leave it,” he told her. “I’ll have someone pick up.” He laced his fingers in hers, pulling her up the stairs to his office where her sister was quizzing Lottie about her connection with their family. They stopped as soon as Sam walked inside.

  Bogart slept on the floor. Mina ran her hand over the desk. “Nice digs.”

  Cami cleared her throat and tried not to blush as she remembered what she’d done on that desk. Please don’t let Mina time slip in this room.

  “Where are your vet textbooks and laptop anyway?” Mina asked. “I didn’t see them in the wreckage of your apartment.”

  Her blush faded at the reminder. Everything she owned had been destroyed except what few things she’d left with Ama or Sam.

  “They’re at my place,” Sam answered for her.

  “Good,” Mina said.

  Lottie touched her arm. “I’m so sorry, sweetie. That asshole never deserved you.”

  “Lottie, can you loan Cami your key to my place until I get one made for her?” Sam asked.

  Cami’s head whipped around, but Lottie had already agreed. What the heck? It’s not like she’d said she would move in with him. He’d never asked. He hadn’t even seemed all that committed to a long-term relationship before. She wasn’t about to tell him she’d fallen for him.

  “Yeah, of course.” Lottie dug through shopping bags on the floor. “I’ve got her a few clothes in those.” She pointed to the pile on his chair. “At least let her change before we go up the hill.”

  He held the door. “Could you give us a few minutes? I need to talk with Cami alone. It might as well be while she changes.”

  Mina giggled and got a nudge from Lottie who snickered and said, “Come on, I’m sure we can visit with Pops while these two ‘talk’ things out.”

  He pushed her out the door. Cami shook her head as the two left. She didn’t turn when she heard the lock click.

  “How are you holding up?” he asked and touched her shoulder on his way to his desk.

  “I’ll be fine.” She surprised herself with the certainty in her voice.

  He dug through the bags, pulled out a dress, and broke the tag off with his teeth.

  “Lottie remembered wipes in case you want some since we missed our shower.” He reached into another bag and tugged out a bra. He stopped. “What’s wrong?”

  “You bought me clothes? You want me to stay at your place?”

  “You’re my girlfriend, so yes, and yes. It’s not like you can go home. It isn’t safe, and you needed new things. Want to change clothes now?”

  She grabbed the hem of her shirt. He watched every move. “Still not weirded out by my sisters and Ama?” The discoveries at her apartment this morning had been a lot. He would be in for even more surprises if they started asking how closely Lottie worked with her grandmothers, how Pops knew Ama well enough to call her by her first name, and why Sam didn’t know about magic until she’d told him. Cami wasn’t sure how to start that complex conversation about his family.

  He shrugged, tilting his head for a better view as she stripped. “I’ve heard some pretty weird things in the weeks I’ve known you. I’ve been fine with that. Why would today be any different?”

  She didn’t say anything. She let her shorts slip to the floor knowing she was bare underneath.

  “Damn, I stole your panties again.” He ticked his tongue against his teeth. “Wish I’d known that earlier.” He didn’t look the least bit ashamed. She’d noticed this morning and had known he’d taken them last night, but with the drama over her place getting trashed, going without undies had been the least of her concerns.

  “At least you’ll have a full drawer of panties at my place now.” He rummaged through another bag, not taking his eyes off her. He propped against his desk and hooked a thong on his finger. “It’s so tempting to have you run around the rest of the day knowing you don’t have any on.”

&nbs
p; She snatched them from his hand and slipped into the soft wisp of lace. “Perv.”

  “Guilty.” He twirled his finger, motioning for her to turn and give him the full view.

  She obliged as she hooked the bra and slid up the straps. He moved behind her, pulled her hair to the side, and pressed his lips to her ear. She leaned into his touch. She needed something strong and clean so badly after the ugliness of this morning. He took her necklace from his pocket and fastened it around her throat. The metal lay cool against her skin unlike his warm hands and breath.

  “Too bad our sisters are waiting,” he said against her ear. “Lottie’s probably timing us.”

  She shook her head. “I hope Mina has blocked any time slips in this office. The last thing I need is for her to know what’s happened in here.”

  He snickered. “If we had a few more minutes, I’d like to see what other little noises I can get you to make on my desk.”

  She sighed. “I thought we were fighting.”

  He tugged until she turned in his arms. “Why?”

  “What you said at your apartment this morning.”

  “I was angry and honestly hurt you didn’t tell me about him showing up last night.”

  “I wanted to.” She had planned to tell Sam this morning before Neil destroyed her place.

  He leaned his forehead against hers. “Don’t you trust me?”

  “Of course, I do.” She bit her lip. “I want to. I haven’t even learned to fully trust myself. Not since my ex. I’m working on it.”

  “We can work on it together.” He kissed her temple.

  “You still mad?”

  “We had a disagreement. I’ll get over it. I already did when I saw what your ex did. We will have more in the future.” He rubbed his hands along her waist. “It doesn’t mean we’re fighting.”

  Their younger sisters started slapping at the door and catcalling.

  “Ready?” he asked her.

  He assured her Bogart would be all right napping. The dog had been walked less than an hour ago. But he locked the doors to his office and the suite before heading down to the Land Cruiser.

  She got into the passenger seat. He slid behind the steering wheel and turned to Mina. “You want me to drive to the back entrance with the garage? Or up to the front door? The two entrances don’t connect by one road, so I need to know where to go.”

  “The garage.”

  He nodded and started the engine. The trip up Castellammare Drive only took a few minutes. Cami watched Sunday afternoon traffic crawl along the Pacific Coast Highway below.

  Sam parked on the curb of the narrow Formillo Way a few feet past the garage where Sol’s body was found. Even without her sister’s gift, she felt the chill.

  They got out of the car and climbed the dozens of stairs to the front door. Lottie checked her phone for the access code to the key lock box hidden outside the entrance. “It’s a six-million-dollar listing,” she explained. “He changes the code at least twice a day.”

  “I’m thinking this realtor wants something more than time on the set with you,” Mina muttered.

  They opened the door and locked it behind them before following Mina through the house. She stopped in a massive room with huge ocean view windows.

  “It’s like a real-life castle,” Lottie gushed. “Straight from the Amalfi coast. They brought old royal Italy to SoCal. Pops would love this. After an exorcism or whatever. Oh, there’s a wraparound balcony with a view over the Pacific.”

  “The grand room,” Mina told them. “Most of it is original. The exposed ceiling and hardwood floors are.” She glanced over her shoulder. “So are the inset custom bookcase at the top, the massive fireplace, and the big entrance staircase. Only the furniture changed over the decades.”

  “Can you see the differences through the years?” Sam asked her, but Mina’s eyes darkened into a slip.

  Cami put an arm around her. “Why don’t you guys take a look around? This could take a while.”

  “Call if you need us.” Sam followed Lottie under the oak arch and down the hallway to the right of the impressive curved brick stairs.

  She had been alone with her sister for almost five minutes when Mina wandered toward the staircase with outstretched hands. She hoped her sister could see the furniture as it stood in the present day to avoid running into anything. Physical alterations to a place presented a danger in any time slip. A change in landscape or interior design that might be gradual over the decades in real life could abruptly alter in Mina’s view. She wouldn’t let Mina crash into anything.

  Her arms dropped to her sides. Mina angled her head, looking from the staircase to the middle of the room and back again as though watching a conversation from the past that Cami couldn’t see or hear.

  “She’s leaving,” Mina murmured. “She’s really leaving him.” She turned to the fireplace. “He’s so angry. Furious,” she seethed.

  Her fingertips touched the end of the massive carved oak railing that curled along the palatial staircase. She took one shaking step up the brick risers. She never looked away from the center of the room, not glancing toward the windows or back where Sam and Lottie had gone. Mina focused on that one spot in the room and slowly made her way up three more treads.

  Her attention snapped to the fireplace. Her brow furrowed, and confusion crossed her face at whatever past the room showed her.

  Her mouth slackened and then jerked again. She scrambled back another step and stumbled.

  Cami grabbed for her as her breathing turned raspy and gasping. “Mina,” she called. “Come back.”

  Mina didn’t respond. She stared blankly with horror etched across her face before keening a low and haunting moan.

  She tightened her grip. “Let go of the slip. Please.” Terror strangled the last word.

  Mina grabbed the base of her skull and sagged limply toward the stairs. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Cami rushed to catch her.

  “Sam.” She screamed. “No, no, no. Wake up. Come on, little sister. Wake up.” Her voice caught. Not now. Her sister needed them. “Sam!”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Casa Oceana

  Sunday, December 17, 1933, around 10:30 a.m.

  Sunny wheeled the Packard convertible into the garage at Casa Oceana above the café and backed it into the stall with practiced ease. She left her purse and gloves on the seat to fetch after dealing with Paul.

  She watched every step as Joey strode in front of the grill to open her door and help her from the car. He pulled the door closed and joined her on the small street below the house, walking with her to the stairs leading to Casa Oceana.

  She had to look up to see his face he was so tall. She swayed to the side, and he put his hands on her shoulders to steady her. Maybe she shouldn’t have drunk almost the whole bottle of gin. At least she’d saved a few swallows for the trip up the stairs. She pressed against Joey’s chest to feel the rumble of the low snicker.

  His hands squeezed her waist. “You sure you don’t want me to come in?”

  “God, no.” She wouldn’t taint whatever this was with the ugliness about to come.

  “Want to leave? I’ll take you back to Artie’s. We can stop at your place for your things.”

  Tempting. So damn enticing with his warm breath on her brow. She could steady herself with the collar of his suit, tiptoe, and press her mouth against his. Something real and physical without attachments. Just for a moment. Her bottom lip caught in her teeth.

  “Keep looking at me like that, and we’re leaving. That’s a promise.” He dug his fingers into her skin, kneading and rubbing away the anxiety.

  Dropping her face, she pulled her shoulders up and back to square off for the confrontation with Paul. “I’ve got to do this.”

  Joey nodded once. “I’m going down to the café to call for a ride. You come get me in the next half hour if you need me.”

  She didn’t answer.

  “I’m serious. One harsh word and you
come get me. Understand?”

  She bobbed her head and swallowed hard, forcing down tears and anger. She would get this done.

  “I’ll be working security tonight on Artie’s Foxtrot. Come find me if you’re interested.” He winked and tipped his hat before strolling toward the steps to the café.

  Oh, she was interested. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled. She lifted two fingers in a halfhearted wave. She told herself it wasn’t weakness to watch him walk away and out of sight before heading up the stairs. After this, it’d be time she took a water taxi out to the Foxtrot to see what all the fuss was about.

  The mansion Paul shared with his wife looked more to Sunny like a staged set than an actual home. Beautifully detailed, the grand room could have been transported directly from a Mediterranean castle with its double grand arched windows overlooking the ocean and imposing oak and brick staircase circling for the perfect entrance. An enormous stonework fireplace loomed at the far end.

  Coral had selected furniture pieces from around the world that dripped in exotic extravagance. Expensive drapes, tapestries, and rugs muffled the echoes of footsteps and voices to draw focus to the intricate details, such as the leaded windows with castles and fantastic shapes designed by Paul himself. A masterpiece. A showcase. Never a home.

  Sunny gripped the heavy carved railing and descended. The alcohol had gone straight to her head, her heart rabbited in her chest, and her balance was hindered by the evening gown swirling around her feet. Not to mention her patience and compassion had both reached their end. Gathering a handful of sparkling fabric, she teetered and cursed the loss of composure. She’d have no graceful presentation this time.

  Paul sat on the couch, illuminated only by the rays of the sun filtering through the balcony doors. His fingers tightened over a glass as she came down the stairs and into the light.

  “Where have you been?” He seethed. “Why didn’t you come home like you were supposed to?”

  She sauntered across the room, ignoring the lightheadedness that had her landing on the couch with a thud.

  He wiped his sweaty brow with a crumpled handkerchief and fisted his hand around the cloth. “Answer me.”